This eggplant appetizer features roasted eggplant rings topped with garlicky mayo, tomatoes, and fresh herbs. It’s a naturally low-carb snack that’s perfectly zesty!
Welcome to the continuation of “things I grew up eating.” It’s rather rare to find someone who grew up eating eggplant (and actually enjoyed it), but my family definitely ate their fair share of this vegetable. My mom grew eggplants and tomatoes in her home garden, so this dish was an easy, inexpensive, and nutritious snack. Plus — it was fancy enough to please guests when hosting a dinner or brunch!
This eggplant tomato recipe may look incredibly elegant, but there’s nothing difficult about putting these appetizers together. Each bite is perfectly balanced with savory roasted eggplant, tangy garlic mayo, plump tomato slices, and a vibrant topping of fresh herbs.Serve them at your next party, and watch them disappear in less time than it took you to make them!
Did you know? If you grew up in Europe or England, you might know eggplants by a different name — aubergine! Feel free to call these snacks “aubergine appetizers” to impress your family!
Simple Eggplant Appetizers Video
Assembling the Simple Eggplant Appetizers
These little eggplant bites require less than 10 ingredients to make and under 30 minutes of prep time. A little bit of time and effort makes for a delicious side dish or snack!
- Season the eggplant rings: Slice the eggplant into thin rings and arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Broil the eggplant: Broil the eggplant on high in the oven until both sides are golden brown, flipping once. Allow the eggplant rings to cool at room temperature.
- Make the garlicky mayo: In a small bowl, mix together the mayo and garlic.
- Assemble the eggplant bites: Place the eggplant rings on a serving platter. Spread a thin layer of garlic mayo on each one, followed by a tomato slice, a dollop of mayo, and fresh dill. Enjoy!
Hot tip: If you don’t have eggplant, try out this same recipe with grilled zucchini instead!
A Couple Handy Appetizer Tips
Whether it’s your first time trying eggplant or you’re simply looking for another recipe, check out a few of my tips to make the most out of these tasty eggplant appetizer bites.
- Cut the eggplant slices into evenly sized rings: To promote even baking, slice the whole eggplant into evenly-sized rings. Keep the skin on — it helps the rings keep their shape.
- Use fresh garlic: Opt to use fresh garlic instead of dried garlic powder. Fresh garlic cloves add a lovely pop of flavor to the mayonnaise that garlic powder doesn’t quite measure up with.
- Swap in different ingredients: Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts, pickled red onions, or capers to the tops of the bites if you’d like. For more tanginess, add a squeeze of lemon juice to the garlicky mayo. If you’re out of dill, substitute it with fresh parsley, basil, or oregano.
Serving Ideas
These eggplant bites are the perfect centerpiece for your next appetizer or side dish spread. Serve them on a large platter alongside pieces of toasted crusty baguette and a couple of your favorite cheeses. For more color and yumminess, add a bowl of marinated mushrooms, green olives, or marinated red bell peppers to the spread.
Making Ahead & Storing
Eggplant bites are best eaten right away while the texture is still perfect (they start to get soggy within 2-3 hours). If you want to get a head start, make the garlicky mayo mixture 2-3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
More Tasty Eggplant Recipes
- Eggplant Ikra Spread – Slavic eggplant “caviar” dip
- Stuffed Eggplant — Stuffed with beef and cheese, this is a flavorful lower carb dinner
- Eggplant Caponata – Sautéed veggies with a Sicilian spin
- Melitzanosalata – A creamy, cool Mediterranean eggplant salad
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium eggplant sliced
- 3 tomatoes thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 3 garlic cloves grated or crushed
- 1 tsp dill for garnish
- 1 tsp salt adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper adjust to taste
- 1 tsp olive oil
Instructions
- Slice the eggplant into thin rings and assemble them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with olive oil, followed by a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Broil the eggplants until they are soft and slightly browned. Flip them over and brown the other side. Remove the eggplant from the oven and let them cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and the crushed garlic together.
- Arrange the eggplant slices on a serving plate. Spread a thin layer of the garlicky mayo on top of each, followed by a tomato slice and a little dollop of mayo. Garnish with dill and serve immediately.
On what temperature u broil and for how long?
It really depends on the oven you are using, if you broil on high it would be just under 5 minutes on one side and a few minutes on the other side.
These are my husband's favorite! I use 2 eggplants and they are gone within a day. I use 2 garlic cloves per 4 tbsps mayo though and I feel that its just right for us 😉 I used to broil them too but last time I made them I found that baking them for about 15-20 mins at 450 degrees produces a much better texture.
Thanks for your suggestions 🙂